


12 seconds is an eternity

by somerandomperson



Category: The Martian (2015), The Martian - Andy Weir
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-23
Updated: 2016-02-23
Packaged: 2018-05-22 20:14:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6092754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/somerandomperson/pseuds/somerandomperson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Beck has 12 seconds to jump from the Hermes grab onto Mark's MAV, 12 seconds can feel like a very long time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	12 seconds is an eternity

12 meters per second was what he had to work with to get Mark back. Less than a minute between his feet leaving the edge of the air lock and grasping the edge of the MAV. God if you even call it a MAV. 

Beck took a deep breath and tries not to focus on the way he could see the red of the surface of Mars through the holes in the ship. He had run the math himself and he knew that the thin atmosphere of Mars meant that holes in the ship wasn't as bad as it looked and fuck did it look bad. 

Beck hears Commander Lewis' voice in his ear calmly going through procedure but it sounds muffled beside the thump of Beck's heart. 

Breathing in for 1... 2... 3... 4... and breathing out for 1... 2... 3... 4... Beck tries to concentrate on the jump checking the tether and running through the check on the MMU and trying to ignore the glimpse of the holes in the MAV. 

Beck concentrates on the feel of the material of his gloves against the tips of his fingers and the way that the side of his left boot pinched against his calf. Anything then think about what happens if he misses. 

God, Beck feels ice creep down his spine. What if he missed? It was up to him, in the next few seconds it was just going to be him reaching out into space towards Mark. It had been over a year since he had seen Mark's face and god he couldn't hardly think about that. 

Beck shakes his head hard to try and dislodge these thoughts. He can't think about that. He can't think for one minute that this wasn't going to work. He had 4 months of Mark being dead and he still wasn't sure how he got through that. So it was going to be like any other EVA he had done. He was going to push himself out into the black silence of space and grab onto the one thing that he never wanted to let go of. And he be damned if he was ever going to let go again. 

Beck felt Vogel's hand grip his shoulder briefly as Lewis gave him the ok. He braces himself against the edge of the airlock and bends his legs and pushes himself off out towards the MAV. 

12 seconds is a long time when you're pushing yourself through space towards a friend, a teammate, a something more? Enough time to look at all the ways this could go wrong. 

_11 seconds_

The MAV is getting closer, Beck can see the edges of the canvas flapping away from the hull. 

_10 seconds_

Beck adjusts his thrusters to make sure that he is on an intercept path with the MAV. 

_9 seconds_

As the MAV turns Beck is close enough to see Mark's helmet through what once was a window. 

_8 seconds_

Beck has to stop himself adjusting his path just to keep looking at Mark, he couldn't even see his face just the side of his helmet and it was enough to make his heart pound and bile rise in his throat. 

So close, god he was so close.

_7 seconds_

Another slight adjustment, probably not even necessary this close but he needs to be sure.

_6 seconds_

Beck can feel the sweat trickle down the side of his face as Mark's voice echos over the comms "Hey Beck", Watney says "the front's wide open. I'll get up there and be ready to grab at you". 

_5 seconds_

The hull is looming up as Lewis tells Mark to stay where he is and not leave the craft until he is attached to Beck. He knows that he is responding, getting updates from the crew and giving his own but it's all white noise to him

_4 seconds_

He can see the scrape marks on the hull where the nose cone had been prised off. 

_3 seconds_

He can see Mark turning his head towards him and he wants to just reach out

_2 seconds_

Beck reaches out his hand and the edge of the hulls slips past his glove 

_1 second_

Beck feels every part of him just freeze as the hull moves away from his hand a horrified thought of _**I missed**_ turning his insides to lead. 

The a slight movement the edge his vision and his springing back into movement as he catches part of the canvas fluttering against the side of his glove. 

No time left Beck grabs at the canvas feeling the material give slightly where it had ripped away from the hull in take off.

Beck grips tighter at the canvas and pulls himself towards the MAV hand over hand, inch by inch towards the top of the MAV. 

Beck feels the air punch out of his lungs as he grasps the edge of the MAV and pulls himself through into the cockpit. 

"Hey there handsome" Mark's voice seems to break a little and Beck feels something inside him clench tight at the sound of Mark's voice. The shadow of Mark's face beyond the faceplate is almost surreal. He's really here, he can grab the arm of Mark's suit, Mark is in his grasp. 

"14 seconds Beck" comes Lewis' voice breaking Beck's examination of Mark's face. 

It feels like his arms were moving through mud as Beck grabs the front of Mark's suit and drags him against his own. The karabiner fumbles in his hands and Beck tries not to think of the few precious seconds that he has to secure Mark to him and get out of the MAV so that the tether doesn't snap leaving him and Mark drifting into the black. 

With click of the karabiner securing Mark's suit to his own Beck braces his feet against the walls of the MAV and pushes off out into space. 

He can feel Mark grab his arms and he can feel himself start to shake. How long had it been since Mark had touched him? How many hours had he stood on the Hermes staring out into space trying to remember the exact feeling of Mark's hands on him, of Mark's body pressing against his even for a moment. 

He can't look at Mark's face because he might just break. The shaking feels so strong that Beck is sure that Mark can feel it. Beck grits his teeth together and draws a long slow breath. Turning slightly to put the Hermes into his view Beck concentrates on the MMU's thrusters making sure that his speed is in line with the Hermes'. 

Vogel's crisp tones take forever to come through. The jolt and slight tug against the back of his suit tells him that he's done it, they were at the right speed and that they could be reeled in. 

Beck's eyes feel like they're burning and his throat tightens as he and Mark are pulled slowly back to the Hermes. 

One of Mark's hands moves up to his shoulder and he had to shut his eyes against the feelings that rush through him. God please let this be real he prays. Another breath and Beck opens his eyes to see the hull of the Hermes coming up and Vogel slowly pulling in the tether hand over hand. He feels Mark move against him and he looks down to see Mark looking towards the airlock of the Hermes. 

Although there is swaths of material from their suits between Beck could swear that he could feel Mark's hands tense. God what must he be feeling? Beck can't begin to imagine what Mark must be going through. If Beck was a mess of contradicting feeling then Mark must be so much beyond that. 

They drift into the Airlock with ease and Vogel pulls himself quickly to the door to secure it behind them. A quiet swoosh and click signaled that the lock was closed.  
The joy in Vogel voice rang loud and clear as he declares "Beck and Watney aboard, air lock secure Commander Lewis" 

"Copy that Vogel" Commander Lewis voice responds, almost laughing in tone "welcome back aboard Watney"

"Glad to be back commander" Watney's responds, voice quiet and rough but clear. 

While Beck gets out of the MMU and takes his helmet off Vogel helps Mark. Beck can see Vogel's eyes widen in shock but he keeps talking in a light tone to Mark. 

Beck rushed out of his suit and floats round to see Mark for himself. 

God Mark was thin and bruised, his face pinched with pain and fucking hell the smell was eye watering. But there he was, the corner of his mouth twitching up as he saw Beck coming towards him. 

There was so much to do, he had to give Mark a full medical, put away equipment, report to Lewis and Houston but for a moment, as Beck helps Mark pull his gloves off, Beck revels in the feeling of Mark's callused hands in his own. Feel his warm skin against his own. Beck knew tears were rolling down his face as he gently threaded Mark's fingers with his own. 

"Miss me?" Mark grinned at him.

**Author's Note:**

> Not entirely sure my timings are entirely accurate for either the book or movie but lets call it artistic licence. For some reason 12 seconds just got stuck in my head. 
> 
> Also still annoyed that Beck didn't do the jump like he did in the book.


End file.
